Grounding fitting



March 7, 1933. 1.. H. CHURCH GROUNDING- FITTING Filed July 25, 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet l A k 2 h c FIGJ.

vwautoz V LfW/J H CHURCH L. H. CHURCH GROUNDING FITTING March 7, 1933.

Filed July 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awwemtoz LEW/J CHURCH Patented Mar. 7, 193a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS H. OI WES'IFIELD, JERSEY, AS SIGNOR TO THE THOMAS 8a BETTS 00., 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GBOUNDING FITTING Application mainly as,

an improved grounding fitting including means to establish a positive electrical connection with a pipe or other similar ground.-v ed conductor, as well. as provide swivelled or adjustable anchorage means by which to attach to the fitting a ground wire protective covering such as a conduit in which the ground wire is carried, and also to provide a suitable the fitting. I It is a particular object to provide a rotary adjustable member associated with the ground fitting by which a ground wire and its enclosing conduit is conveniently attached to the fitting irrespective of the direction in which the conduit extends, and more particularly toprovide a full three hundred and sixty degree adjustment for the rotary member so the latter may be pivoted to any position on the grounded conductor on which the fitting is installed.

With'the foregoing objects and others in view, the invention has relation to certain combinations and arrangements of the parts and to variations in structure and use, examples of which are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

igure 1 shows a plan or rear face View of the grounding fitting attached to a water pipe and shows a ground wire enclosed in a conduit connected to the fitting.

Figure 2'shows a sectional view as taken on the line 22, a pipe seat and an adjustground wire terminal connector on 1929. Serial N0. 380,790.

when its rotary pipe seat is omitted. In this event the swivel anchorage ring means functions in the same way to swing to any position to connect with a conduit carrying the ground wire.

Figure 5 is a view of the device wherein a small size clamp 'yoke is'mounted in a grounding ring and a strap-spans the distance between the legs of the clamp yoke so as to adapt the fitting to small size grounded pipes. I

Figure 6 is'a section through a grounding fitting of similar structure to that of Figures 1 and 2, except in Figure 6 a retaining and centering boss is omitted from the pipe seat.

In the installation of wiring systems in houses, buildings and the like, there is usually available a ground cbnductor such as a water or gas pipe P or a sinall size water pipe SP to which the electrical wiring system may be electrically connected or grounded to render the same safe by transmitting to the ground short circuits or other stray current. In this connection, the Workman usually employes a conduit C in which is carried a ground wire W. This ground-wire has its end shown in the drawing electrically connected to the water pipe or other grounded conductor while its other end not shown is electrically connected to some part of the outlet box or conduit system of the main circuit or wiring layout not shown. Hence the main purpose is to provide a grounding device which will make good electrical connection with a water pipe. It must be appreciated that different size water or gas pipes P and SP are used in building construction and therefore the electrical contractor should have a grounding fitting adjustable to all sizes and this invention meets that requirement. Furthermore. it is appreciated that water and gas pipes .P and SP run in various directions and that the conduit C and its ground wire W does like- Wise and for that reason some form of conduit attachment means on the fitting is desirable which will point in any direction and this invention neets that requirement.

The drawings ,throughout show. a pipe clamp which is of simplestructure and consists of few parts but. which characteristical- 1y embodies features constituting the invention and the clamp is rugged and once installed will break thru pipe scale and maintain a good grounded contact and hence an electrical connection between the ground wire W and different size pipes P and SP.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a pipe clamp comprising a yoke formed from parallel legs 10 made on an arch 11 reachin over a pipe and a pipe seat 12 fits on the t readed legs 10. Nuts 13 screw on the threaded legs 10 to bring the arch 11 and seat 12 together on a pipe P. The seat 12 has various size toothed grooves 15, 16 and 17 to break thru the pipe scale and make good contact and to receive large pipe P or small pipe SP. The pipe seat 12 is made with a plurality of holes about its periphery to adapt it rotatably to various positions in respect to the yoke 1011. Since the yoke 10-11 is stationary astride the pipe P, the seat 12 must be rotatable on the legs 10 to bring into use the particular 'size groove 15, 16 or 17 required to fit the size pipe available as the grounded conductor.

The foregoing explains in a general way the grounding fitting so far as the pipe clamp is concerned, it being remembered that the pipe clamp may be constructed in different forms, and I now come to a description of those novel features which characterize the pipe clamp 11--12 and which constitutes the fundamentals of the invention. I

An adjustment ring 25 is integral with an arm or bracket 26 and a conduit anchorage means such as a sleeve 27 is carried on the arm to attach the conduit or other ground wire cover C ,to the fitting or pipe clamp 1112. The ring 25 embraces the clamp legs 10 andpipe seat 12 and is rotatable thereabout and hence the arm 26 and its conduit coupler sleeve 27' is swingable or rotatable thru a full three hundred and sixty degrees around the center of the pipe seat.

The pipe seat 12 is made with a boss 29 on its bottom or on the face opposite the pipe seat grooves. This boss 29 fits into the ring 25 and centers the ringand bracket conduit coupler structure on the fitting. In this way the arm 26 swings or rotates entirely around the fitting to line up the axes of the conduit 0 and coupler 27. This function is important and moreover it is an advantage to have the fine adjustment in direction afforded by the cooperating ring 25 and boss 29 because a small difference in an ular position of the arm 26 and conduit C in relation to the pipe I P simply means that the conduit C will not readily screw connect into the internally threaded coupler sleeve 27 and such a difficulty is entirely overcome by reason of the continuous and unlimited osition adjustment afforded by the coactmg ring 25 and boss 29. It matters not in what direction the conduit G approaches the ground fitting. because the nuts 13 are loosened and the conduit coupler 26-27 is moved into the exact position to receive the conduit. The boss 29 steadies the conduit coupler 26-27 in all its positions.

It is preferred to make the depth of the boss 29 slightly less than the depth of the ring 25 so that the nuts 13, or the nuts with a strap 31, may rest on the ring 25 with clearance between the nuts or clamp strap and the boss 29. The clearance enables the boss 29 to be drawn into the ring 25 and thus clamp the ring and bind it against rotation between the nuts 11 and pipe seat 12 to lock the arm 26 in final position when the conduit and ground fitting assembly is completed.

The ground wire W has an electrical terminal in the form of an ordinary soldering lug or eye 32 whichfits over one of the clamp yoke legs 10 and makes a ground connection between the wire and grounded conductor P.

This terminal 32 is clamped and electrically connected under the same nut 13 that operates the ground pipe clamp 1112 to bring these two parts into positive engagement with the pipe P.

The nuts '13 perform several purposes.- It is clear enough that one nut 13, leg 10 and terminal 32 afford an electrical connector on the pipe clamp to positively connect the wire W with the pipe P. Also the two nuts 13 render effective the pipe clamp and simultaneously renders effective the electrical connector. Moreover the two nuts act to lock the ring 25 and ground wire conduit coupler 27 against movement after all parts are set in place.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show modifications of the grounding fitting brought about by omitting parts or substituting parts. These views aid in explaining the usefulness of the swingable ring and conduit coupler and although of the same'form as heretofore explained, fur-.

fore explained because the nuts remain loose untilthe coupler 46 receives the conduit in the usual way and hence the ring 41 turns about the yoke legs.

Figure 5 shows a structure similar to other forms except a small grounded pipe SP makes a small size clamp yoke 50 more eflicient and convenient to handle and better contact. To accommodate the nuts 51, a-

reach strap 52 bridges across the space in a ring 53 so that the nuts seat and work against pipe seat 61 does not necessarily require the centering boss shown in the earlier views.

In fact, the yoke legs 60 guide the ring so that it rotates around the yoke to point the conduit coupler in the proper direction to connect with the ground wire conduit.

The ground fitting is susceptible to several forms of construction, fills a long felt want,

is simple to install and .is universally adjustable to standard pipe sizes and is adjustable in any direction by which to attach the conduit U or any type of ground wire protective covering such asa cable not shown. While the conduit C is shown, it will nevertheless be appreciated that any form of ground wire covering may be used and hence any convenient connector or coupler may be carried on the rotatable ring 25.

What is claimed is:

1. In a grounding fitting, a pipe clamp ineluding a pipe seat, and a oke having threaded legs extending throug the seat, a boss formed on the pipe seat, a ring mounted on the boss and rotatable around the ipe seat, said boss being shorter than the dept of the ring in which it seats and hence providing clearance between the face of the boss and the outer edge of the ring, operating means on the threaded legs of the yoke engaging the ring over the clearance to clamp the ring upon the boss and-to actuate the pipe clamp, and means carried on the ring by which a ground wire protective covering is attached therepo. d fi r 2. n a groun ing tting, a ipe clam including a pipe seat with a U-shsl ped oke having both legs extending through 't e seat, a boss formed on the pipe seat and having a diameter greater than the spacing of the legs of the yoke, a rin mounted on the boss and rotatable around t e pipe seat, means carried on the ring by which a ground wire protective covering is attached thereto, an electrical connector on the fitting adjacent to the legs to receive a ground wire, and operating means carried by the legs of the yoke and engaging the ring to draw the yoke and ring together to tighten the clamp on the conductor, to tighten the electrical connector, and to anchor the rin against rotation.

3. In a groun ing fittin a ring, a pipe seat having a plurallty of ifi'erent size pipe grooves therein, a yoke having legs cooperating with the ipe seat, adjustment means cooperating wit the yoke and seat whereby the latter is rotatably adjusted around the yoke legs, screw operating means to draw the seat and yoke together on a grounded-conductor, and an electrical connector operated by the screw 0 crating means'to attach a ground wire to t e fittin 4. In a grounding fitting, aring including anchorage means to receive a ground wire protective covering, a clamp yoke havmg an arch to reach over a ground conductor and having legs projecting through the ring, the

ring being rotatable relatively to the yoke, operating means carried by the legs and enga ing t e ring to draw together the clamp yo e and ring thereby gripping the conductor and securing the rmg in adjusted position and an electrical connector on the fitting. 5. In a grounding fittin a ring, a' pipe 'seat having a plurality of iflerent size pipe grooves therein, a yoke having legs cooperatmg with the pipe seat, adjustment means cooperating with the the latter is rotatab y adjusted around the Eoke legs, a strap connecting the legs and ridging the space in the ring, screw operating means bearing on the strap and to draw the seat and yoke together on a grounded conductor, and an electrical connector operated by the screw operating means to attach a ground wire to the fitting.

6. In a grounding'fitting, .a ring, a yoke having legs reaching through the ring, a strap over the legs and bridging across the space in the ring and the stra ends resting on thering, nuts on the yoke egs engaging oke and seat whereby 8. In a grounding fitting, a ring, means to attach a ground'wire protective covering to the ring, a yoke having threaded legs reachingthrough the rin the ring being rotatable re tively to the yo e, nuts on the yoke legs to clamp a ground conductor to the ring and secure the ring in adjusted position relatively to the yoke, and a ground wire. connector carried by the .fitting.

9. A grounding fitting comprising a pipe ing egs projecting through the seat to receive a ground pipe, a ring rotatably mounted on the clamp, operating means carried by to anchor the pipe to the clamp, a ring ro- 130 no i vclam including a pipe seat, and a yoke havtatably mounted on the clamp exterior of and adjacent to the yoke, threaded means upon at least one oi the legs to clamp the pipe 7 upon the seat and securethe ring against rog tation, means to attach a ground wire pro-.

teetive covering to the ring, and an electrical connector on the fitting to receive a ground wire.

11. In agrounding fitting, a ring, a yoke 10 having legs reaching through the ring, a. strap over the legs and bridging across the space in the ring and the stray? ends resting on the ring, nuts on the yoke egs engaging the strap to draw the yoke and ring to ether, and a. ground wire connector carried y the fitting.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

7 LEWIS HJ CHURCH; 

